Damnation = Prog Album

[Leper_/-\ffinity]

FOr some reason, lately I have been going back through all my prog albums, and it just hit me, and I realized that this was a very proggy album. Its so unlike anything I would ever expect them to do, it is amazing how well it came out. I thought maybe this thread could be a discussion of how awesome this album is. Windowpane is such an epic track, and same with To Rid The Disease, and very proggy, and for some reason I didnt realize this until now. Its funny, cause everyone tlaks about how they were influenced by prog bands, but it wouldn't be apparent to the average prog listener until they would listen to this album.

 

[estimate]

Yes, I agree. It is very proggy. Mikael has said that it could been released in the 70s, with other progressive rock bands as Camel and Genesis. I think especially Windowpane is an awesome track. That one and Closure (thought I like the live version even better )

 

[£xil on t}{£ Fa\\]

despite the fact its not one of my favorites albums by opeth, i really like it..No life, no hope at all but that's the way it is, you got to be in a particular mood to listen to that album i think. i know a lot of folks doesn't like weakness but i really love that kind of feeling you'll find on that one.
Favorites songs: hope leaves and to rid the disease.
its the only album which i found myself with songs i dislike: ending credits and maybe the chorus in death whispered a lullaby.
But overall it's great.
as i mentionned in a past thread, in my time of need sounds a lot like a smashing pumpkins song called "space boy", but nobody will check that cause they think sp sucks.. anyway check the chorus of that song and you'll see.. or hear.

As for the sound: i prefered the acoustics parts on still life. it sounded great on that album and the way the songs were played too but damnation have another kind of feeling and even if its different, it's cool.

maybe one last negative point is maybe the songs are all starting the same way like: solo guitar - drum with guit and there it goes.

i would give that album 8.5/10

 

[L0bster]

I thought about the songs having about the same structure, the first six of them that is, the instrumental endning credtis and experimental weakness differs. and I totaly love the sound/production of the album, it's almost perfect soundwise. There are very few "riffs" our passages compared to other opeth volumes, but I still think it suits the laid back style of the album.

 

[Nico]

When I first head that Damnation was going to be a mellow album, I thought it was going to be an album full of mellow songs like Face of Melinda and Credence and To Bid you Farewell. When I bought it, I thought it was great... but these days I'm feeling that it just doesnt do Opeth any justice at all. Obviously they didnt make an album to be original, they made an album to emulate a sound from years ago. I rekon it would've been much better if they'd stuck to the mellow sound found in the earlier albums.

 

[Leper_/-\ffinity]

When I first head that Damnation was going to be a mellow album, I thought it was going to be an album full of mellow songs like Face of Melinda and Credence and To Bid you Farewell. When I bought it, I thought it was great... but these days I'm feeling that it just doesnt do Opeth any justice at all. Obviously they didnt make an album to be original, they made an album to emulate a sound from years ago. I rekon it would've been much better if they'd stuck to the mellow sound found in the earlier albums.

Yeah, but that makes songs like TBYF and Face of Melinda that much more special, and I think they are more like songs that can only be done once or twice on a really heavy album, I always think that's where they fit best. A whole album of them would make them not so unique, and kind of bore some people.

 

[£xil on t}{£ Fa\\]

on damnation, the guitars doesn't fit as the same way as previous acoustics songs.
i think you could put many more melodies with the way its played on damnation(no always but often) than on a credence which you can sing with the guitar.

you gotta listen twice.
damnation finds somes shorters and repetitives guitar parts in my view.

like all thoses part were flowing in his head. it makes it more intimate and unique and i love it.

 

[foulwing]

wow! he just realized that? i always thought of opeth as a prog band.

 

[NGC 3370]

Damnation = boring
This album has become the most tedious listen out of such a great band.
If only they played this cd in the style of their other light songs they have on their previous records then it would be great.

 

[SP00N]

I really enjoyed Damnation, myself. But you know what they say, to each their own. As for Opeth, haven't they always been a "progressive" band, so to speak? Whether it's progressive death (metal) or progressive rock makes little difference.

- S

 

[FrostGiant]

I love Damnation. I think it's the best thing they've done to date. But yeah, it's really a 70's prog album. I thought their previous light songs where pretty much metal ballad cliche (not that I don't enjoy them). I was worried Damnation was going to be the same and was really glad to hear the direction they actually took.

 

[Rejvk]

Damnation is alot more enjoyable when you keep Deliverance in mind whilst listening to it..As it is a double album. I see it as kinda the lamenting after all the agression in deliverance has been let out. Damnation is something of a quiet contemplation and reflection.

 

[RaZ]

Damnation is a masterpiece, simply put. As for the prog thing, yes, Opeth are a progressive metal band. Maybe the most progressive metal band ever, in both ways of the meaning of the term "progressive", whether that means unique sound and playing in weird time signatures etc

 

[segaszivos]

Damnation is a very progressive album as it was intended to be. It isn't a fantastic album, but I still like it. I expected a bit more from the band.

 

[Leper_/-\ffinity]

I really enjoyed Damnation, myself. But you know what they say, to each their own. As for Opeth, haven't they always been a "progressive" band, so to speak? Whether it's progressive death (metal) or progressive rock makes little difference.

- S

Well, actually, it makes one hell of a difference, go listen to a band like Extol, and then compare them to King Crimson or Jethro TUll, and tell me that there is no difference.

I know that they are a progressive death metal band, but it's kind of hard to tag them with that genre, since there isnt that much of it out there, but this album I just realized sounded like a 70's progressive rock album, which there is lots of other music that sounds a lot like it.

 

[JoeVice]

damnation is a good album

 

[KevyCanavan]

the word prog is thrown around a bit too much these days.

Damnation is an Opeth album

 

[TheFourthHorseman]

Indeed...Damnation is perhaps (and I don't even know about that then) prog if you use it as to defining a genre, but it isn't truly progressive by any means.

 

[daimonion]

I dig Damnation. But the thing is... when I first listened to it it was good all the way through until the short and kinda boring instrumental, and then the short and monotoniously weakness. If they where longer, more epic tracks like Windowpane and To rid the disease, the album would be a total killer.

 

[TheFourthHorseman]

I'm pretty sure that if the tracks would be longer (and the songs the same) then the album would be boring. Damnation is a pretty easy listen now as it is.